To Say Goodbye
by Sukisniperkitty
Summary: It's not easy to let go of loved ones. Especially those taken too soon. Song fic.


To Say Goodbye

by mastrechef

Bright eyes that danced with joy. Infectious laughter that echoed through the trees. The warmth of an unbreakable bond. All of them now fleeting, distant memories.

 _You were once my one companion_

 _You were all that mattered_

Somber eyes peeked out from behind lashes that glittered with tears, unfocused and lost in remembrance. The owner of those sad eyes was gripped in the throes of grief, slightly hunched and arms firmly about itself, as though on the verge of breaking apart. The person was standing at the edge of a small lake, small enough to be more of a pond. There was the sound of children playing a little ways off, but an air of quiet had settled like a mantle over the isolated individual.

 _Sometimes it seemed, if I just dreamed_

 _Somehow you would be here_

Eyes clenched shut. A shuddering sigh escaped trembling lips. "It's lonely without you here," the figure finally spoke. "Despite how long it's been, I keep hearing your voice. I turn to look, expecting to see you, yet nothing's ever there. I tell myself it's just a dream, but then... even I'm not sure which part I'm referring to: that you being here is the dream, or that you being _gone_ is the dream."

 _Wishing you were somehow here again_

 _Knowing we must say goodbye_

"Just one last time, I want to see you. Not a dream or a memory. Just you."

 _Try to forgive, teach me to live_

 _Give me the strength to try_

"It's hard trying to move on. I know you wouldn't want me to be sad, though. But guess what? I have some new friends now who've been trying just about anything to cheer me up. It's almost ridiculous how much they resemble mother hens. I'm sure you would've liked them."

 _Help me say goodbye_

"I never got to say goodbye. This time, I'll give you a proper send-off. And maybe, in time, I'll be able to think of you with a smile instead of tears."

A small bundle of wintery blue flowers dropped to the surface of the water and floated there serenely.

"Farewell, dear sister."

It had taken a while for everything to sink in after Pitch had been put in his place. Jack had been on his own for centuries, yet now he had the Guardians and the memories of the family he once had. At first he had been so excited to learn he had a sister, about whom he recalled more and more every day. He was absolutely ecstatic, until he realized just how much of her life he had missed.

Emma, his baby sister, had only been nine years old when he died.

How long had his death haunted her? Did she ever move on, start a family of her own? Or did she wallow away in misery?

These thoughts plagued Jack after his realization, leaving a depressive cloud to hang about him in place of the winter spirit's normal cheery upbeat demeanor. A cloud that was oh so obvious and a cause of great distress to his fellow Guardians.

Tooth, in particular, was especially protective of their youngest, wanting so badly to figure out what was keeping him down and to help resolve the issue. Jack had taken to hiding in secluded areas in Burgess or in North's workshop, so, urged by her strong motherly instincts, Tooth proposed an intervention.

"We've left him alone long enough. The only way he's going to open up is if we approach him. After 300 years on his own, he's not going to be inclined to share his problems without a little push."

"But if we push him too much the gumby's going to run off," argued Bunny.

The fairy queen huffed indignantly, "Well we can't just do nothing and let it fester. At the very least we have to let Jack know that we're willing to listen, that it's okay for him to come to us when he needs help, that we won't push him away."

Sandy was nodding eagerly as sand began forming pictures over his head.

"Great idea Sandy. So here's what we're going to do …"

As had become routine in the past weeks, Jack was once more hidden away in one of the many recesses of North's Workshop, immersed in remembrance. There he lay flat on his back, gazing upward at the high vaulted ceiling without actually seeing anything. He sighed morosely.

'I only just got you back, yet you're already gone.' The thought seemed to echo hollowly through his head. The immense feeling of loss that had taken root in his heart was unexpected considering his initial joy regarding the return of his memories. It lingered at the edge of his consciousness like a clinging shadow.

The winter spirit was broken from his melancholy thoughts when he registered the steady thrum of hummingbird wings tentatively creeping closer.

"Jack, what's wrong?" came the soft query. "We hardly ever see you, but when we do you're so sad and distant."

Flicking his eyes over to the Tooth Fairy was the only indication he gave that he was listening. After a brief hesitation, the younger Guardian settled for a vague, "Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't respond immediately, his conflict reflected in his eyes as he internally debated with himself. He had never really had anyone to confide in before, so the fact that Tooth was offering to listen was a bit of a novel concept. But precisely because he had no one before, it had become a habit to keep everything bottled up, masking it with a cheerful facade only dropped on those lonely nights he would try again to talk at the Man in the Moon. At being the operative word seeing as he'd not gotten so much as a hint that the other was listening to him vent his frustration.

Well, they always say that the first step is the hardest, but you can't get anywhere until you take it.

Jack heaved a sigh and threw an arm across his eyes to hide his expression. He hesitated a moment more before speaking. "It's just… I've been remembering things. And now that I remember I realized how much I lost. How much I missed out on."

Even without going into detail, tears were already welling in the immortal teen's eyes. He willed them back stubbornly.

"Oh, Jack," Tooth murmured sorrowfully. She reached out to card to gently card her fingers through the boy's hair. "This is about your sister, isn't it?"

Jack could only manage a mute nod as the burning in his eyes doubled.

The fairy queen continued her soothing ministrations. "I know how hard it is to lose of loved ones. I know how much it hurts. But I can't imagine that those we lost would want us to grieve forever. I believe your sister would want you to go on being the Jack she loved and remembered."

He swallowed thickly, his body trembling from the emotional turmoil. He gathered himself enough to whisper a reply. "I know. But… it's _killing_ me that I don't know what happened to her. I mean, did she ever get over my…" he trailed off, unwilling or unable to say the last word.

"I don't have an answer for you, Jack." Tooth's mouth curved into a comforting smile. "You knew her best. What does your heart tell you?"

The winter spirit could imagine well what Emma would say to him right now. Remembering her voice speaking imagined words was enough to cause the tears to finally spill over, yet a shaky smile crept across his lips.

With a final stroke of fingers through soft white hair, Tooth spoke once more with a more upbeat vibe, "Come on. The rest of us planned something to help cheer you up."

"Hey sis, I'm back. I made you something. Nothing too fancy, just a little something to remember you by."

 _Passing bells and sculpted angels_

 _Cold and monumental_

 _Seemed for you the wrong companions_

 _You were warm and gentle_

At the far side of the lake, just catching the light, sat a small, delicately carved ice sculpture; small flecks of gold within shimmered in the sunlight. It was a young girl, a warm smile adorning her lips and a basket of flowers in hand. Some of the same flowers were woven into her hair. Below it was a silver plaque bordered with many tiny, intricate snowflakes bearing a simple inscription: Our journey through life may take us far apart, but it does not matter as neither distance nor time will dull that which is between us. Dedicated to Emma Overland.

"Well, I'm a busy guy now; kids to look after and all that, you know. So I'll see you later, Emma."

 _Help me say goodbye_

"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again"

 _You were once my one companion_

 _You were all that mattered_

 _You were once a friend and father_

 _Then my world was shattered_

 _Wishing you were somehow here again_

 _Wishing you were somehow near_

 _Sometimes it seemed, if I just dreamed_

 _Somehow you would be here_

 _Wishing I could hear your voice again_

 _Knowing that I never would_

 _Dreaming of you won't help me to do_

 _All that you dreamed I could_

 _Passing bells and sculpted angels_

 _Cold and monumental_

 _Seemed for you the wrong companions_

 _You were warm and gentle_

 _Too many years fighting back tears_

 _Why can't the past just die_

 _Wishing you were somehow here again_

 _Knowing we must say goodbye_

 _Try to forgive, teach me to live_

 _Give me the strength to try_

 _No more memories no more silent tears_

 _No more gazing across the wasted years_

 _Help me say goodbye_

 _Help me say goodbye_

AN: I'm a very sporadic writer and lately I've had a number of half finished fics I've been trying to finish. I love this movie so it was the first to get a finished one shot. This is loosely based on "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from Phantom of the Opera. Originally I intended this to be from Jack's sister's perspective, but it naturally turned into Jack's instead.


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